Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Lots of new stuff for the New Year. Firstly we have a new 100% Cashmere, available in 2-ply and 4-ply, in a so, so soft 2 oz skeins, in 13 solid colorways. The 2-ply is fingering weight and 400 yards per skein, and the 4 ply is DK weight and 200 yards. Both at the incredible price of $29.95 for 100% Mongolian Cashmere. Wow!

All new, all fantastically hand dyed in our unique colorways, and all so soft, is our new Romantica Merino Lace Yarn, 100% Superwash, Super Fine Micron Merino wool, 1000 yards and 4 oz hanks. Look to see new patterns soon for this wonderful yarn. We are already sold out for 2009 but have more on order for January 2010.

Great new patterns (see our website for a complete list) featuring hot new designs from up and coming designer Patti Waters, like the Arrow Head socks in our Sockscene colorway Wild Blackberries, always a favorite.

The Waters Scarf and Mitts pattern by Patti Waters features an interesting ripple effect and is knit lengthwise on circular needles. A great holiday gift that is sure to please knit in Bluebell Woods colorway in our Superwash Worsted Yarn. The scarf and mitts each take just one skein.Finally from Patti is the Swarly Hat (I must ask her what swarly means if anything) This is knit in two colors of our Superwash Worsted, as pictured in one of our new colorways Night Sky, with accent colors in Grand Canyon.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

The absolutely amazing Oceans Edge Silk Shawl by Jocre Arts uses one skein of our Pure Silk yarn and attracted the most interest at Stitches East last month.

The Oceans Edge shawl measures 78" x 38" and is shown in our Friars Bay colorway. A luxurious triangular shawl showing the pull of the soft waves washing over the rippled sand at the ocean’s edge. This spectacular design is both breathtaking and fun to knit!

For the crocheter we have added two new crochet designs, the Split Shell Silk scarf in our Pure Silk, and two designs using our sock yarns.

The Split Shell Scarf is light and airy, while also being warm and very soft!

Crocheted in a lacy “Split Shell” design this scarf can be made to any length.

Pure silk luxury!

Our Swing vest is an easy crocheted loose fitting swing style vest worked in a lacy "split shell" stitch and features a spiral loop closure.

The vest uses three skeins of Ivy Brambles Sockscene and is shown here in our Autumn Flame colorway.

Another great design by Janet Magnuson.

Another great design by Janet Magnuson is the Woven Knit cowl. This adjustable cowl drapes beautifully, and is wonderfully soft and lightweight. The stitch resembles woven fabric and is knit as a simple rectangle. Crochet flowers and loops or I-cord and buttons are added as fasteners.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

We have been working hard on new designs, sizes and T Shirts and on lowering our cost basis for our products.

We have significantly reduced our T Shirt production costs and these are now being passed on directly to our retailers and customers.

We have new T shirt styles (V Neck and Long Sleeve) and have expanded sizes on the short sleeve T shirts to include youth sizes.

Three new designs have been added to the shirt line, two Knit-New-Baby and Witches were previously available only on the greeting cards, and "Spinning With Friends" Dizzy is a totally new design. Three more brand new designs will follow for the Winter season.

Two new lines of tote bags are also new. The boat tote which features a full gusset, popper closure and front pocket, and the everyday tote which is generous in size and fully gussetted.

We have not been standing still on our yarn lines either. We have added a few new colors to our sock, silk and worsted lines and are busy working on new patterns for this season.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

We are happy to announce that our sock yarns will be available at Sock Summit next month in Oregon. You will find us at the Cherry Tree Hill booth where Cheryl Potter has kindly agreed to sell our yarns.

The Sock Summit yarns are dyed on Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Select and available as a limited edition only, these are labelled "Light Fingering" and are very slightly lighter gauge than our regular fingering weight yarn (420 yards v.s. 410) but still a superwash Merino.

We also have an entry in Ravelry's Dye-For-Glory contest, if you are a Ravelry member you can vote for us at http://www.ravelry.com/socksummit?category=128, our entry is "A Day at the Beach" in beautiful sunny pastels. The yarn colorway will be available in our regular SockScene and for a limited time on the Cherry Tree SuperSock Select base yarn.

So what's the difference between these two base yarns, both 100% Superwash Merino? The SuperSock Select is a finer micron Merino and feels a touch softer but has a little more Merino "fuzz" due to the finer wool, the standard SockScene yarn is a tiny bit less soft and a touch thicker with more "sproing" or bounce but 10 yards less per 4oz skein. In a blind test at a LYS the two tied for first place out of the yarns being tested which included some very popular hand dyes. We put it down to the love we show our yarns during the hand dye process!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The outcome of our recent road trip to Ohio has been quite interesting, I can tell you a little bit but not much yet, but you can now find our yarn and Knitting With Friends® products at a few more locations. Also we will be in The Yarn and Fiber booth at Stitches East and TKGA Buffalo, NY and Cherry Tree Hill will be taking our sock yarn to Sock Summit. Expect to see our yarns appearing in a few publications later this year.

We now have the first garments arriving for our trunk show this fall, we will publish a schedule of what and where as soon as we know.

Check out Andi Smith's (KnitBrit.com) fantastic new Hat and Scarf pattern in our Superwash Worsted, just two skeins for this diagonally cabled set.

The feedback we have received for our yarns from designers and customers has been truly encouraging and we are working hard to bring you more yarns, more colorways and more patterns, thanks to everyone for their support!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

After a days rest from TNNA we got to set up for The Knitters Connection at the convention center in Columbus Ohio.

TNNA had been a great place to meet designers and the many shop owners from around the country. We already had a lot of patterns "in the works" with various designers and took this opportunity to encourage a few more, will post their designs as they come.

Anyway didn't know what to expect from Knitters connection, a relatively small show but with classes, and a great opportunity to meet some knitters and some guests from the Quilting Show going on next door. This was the first time we had offered Ivy Brambles to the public as ourselves rather than through a store, and we have received a very warm welcome with much better sales than we could have hoped for. Thank you Columbus we will keep the hand dyed yarn, t-shirts and novelties rolling.....

Friday, June 12, 2009

Well it had to happen some time. We took the trip to TNNA in Columbus Ohio this year and with luck you will be seeing Ivy Brambles products in at least a few more store here in the US this coming season.

It was quite a long drive from New Hampshire, but everything went smoothly and we set up on time. The booth looks great (the picture doesn't do it justice as I used my Cell-Phone) with our very popular silk, and Worsted Superwash taking center stage, and our new Shetland 2-ply getting immediate attention from the booths around us.

The Shetland is not yet available in any stores, TNNA orders will be the first time anyone has got their hand on this new yarn and we will have two new sweater patterns available as soon as they come back from the test knitters!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Some of you may be familiar with the gorgeous Gawain sweater pattern by the fabulous designer Alison Green Will, certainly we were, hence why we asked Kelly to knit one up in our Superwash Worsted in the Coppermine colorway.

What we didn't expect was a surprise visit from designer Ysolda Teague to our local yarn store, and the offer to model the sweater for us by none other than the celebrated young Scottish designer herself.

Ysolda was on a trip to the US promoting her new book which I understand sold out within a few minutes of her visit to the store.

Unfortunately I was unable to be there myself but look forward to meeting her in the fall to see what she has done with some of our yarns!

Gawain knit up very nicely in Coppermine, the cables held up very well knit to gauge with no sacrifice in the softness of the yarn.

We will be bringing this garment with us to TNNA in Ohio in two weeks time, and to The Knitter Connection that follows. See you there!

Monday, April 20, 2009

Crochet designer Janet Magnuson has created for us this Lacy Crochet Up or Down Cowl. Easy to wear and completely adjustable when on, this Lacy Crochet Cowl is a unique blend of fabulous design coupled with Ivy Brambles super soft and luscious Silk and Wool 50/50 blend yarn. This wonderful cowl can be worn up or down. When worn with seamed end up, cowl fits comfortably with split side on your shoulders for a loose turtleneck style. When worn with seam edge up, the cowl becomes completely adjustable and features a crocheted flower which adds beauty and functionality as a button – simply place the button through any of the spaces between the shells and the cowl fits you as you would like it to every time. And, the cowl only requires one skein of yarn!

Designer Debbi Blouin has created for us The Lady Olivias Sock. This pattern is an elegant sock pattern using Ivy Brambles SockScene sock yarn in Bushkill Falls Colorway, requires one skein of Ivy Brambles Fingering Weight sock yarn for one pair. This pattern is designed to be knit using the Magic Loop method.

Easy and elegant crochet scarf that is sure to please! When worn, simple flowers poke through the overall lattice work and create a beautiful and adjustable scarf that can be worn in many ways simply by poking the flowers through the latticework to hold the scarf in place. Another beautiful design by crochet designer Janet Magnuson. The beauty of this scarf when coupled with the hand-dyed Ivy Brambles Superwash yarn creates an accessory that will be admired by all around you. Sample is shown in Colorway Friar’s Bay.

Donna Haddad has created for us the "Diamond Delight" Shawl Pattern. Diamond Delight Shawl is an easy lace shawl that incorporates two lace motifs that blend well together. When knit in Kauni Effektgarn the long striping effect makes for spectuctular deep v-shape stripes.

A darling lace sweater that knits up fast and beautiful with an easy to follow lace pattern that adds that extra touch of love and specialness. Sample shown in Ivy Brambles Superwash Worsted yarn in Colorway Aster. This is a wonderful combination of lace and hand-dyed machine washable yarn – an instant heirloom sweater that can be enjoyed for many generations.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

It took little to persuade Jocre Arts to come up with some exclusive patterns for our Pure Silk 20-2 yarn. "Wonderful to knit lace work with". Jocre Arts have been producing fine lace work and lace patterns for a number of years and were delighted to have the opportunity to try our silk.

Jocre have produced three fabulous one skein patterns (actually much less for the gloves). One skein will make both the scarf and either one or possibly both pairs of fabulous silk fingerless gloves. To the left is the Trellis Grapevine pattern fingerless gloves.

The last pair of fingerless gloves features a cockleshell pattern. All three patterns are available from your local (or online) Ivy Brambles retailer.

We launched our new worsted weight Superwash yarn earlier this year, at a very competitive price, and the patterns have started to follow. The first new pattern is these fun new socks from Gina House available exclusively from Ivy Brambles. The perfect socks to wear when relaxing after excercise, or any time you need to put your feet up!